


Lay Your Weary Head To Rest

by Alitomy



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Booker | Sebastien le Livre & Nile Freeman Friendship, Depressed Booker | Sebastien le Livre, Gen, Mental Health Issues, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, booker sleeps bc he is depressed, but also its a headcanon of mine that he just loves sleeping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:21:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26664367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alitomy/pseuds/Alitomy
Summary: Booker is always sleeping, and only Nile seems to know why.
Relationships: Booker | Sebastien le Livre & Nile Freeman
Comments: 5
Kudos: 129





	Lay Your Weary Head To Rest

**Author's Note:**

> ”Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine.” – Thomas Aquinas
> 
> (Title from Carry On Wayward Son, by Kansas)

Booker had been back with the team for twelve years, and Andy was sure he’d spent over half of that time sleeping. They would get in from a job and Booker would shower and go straight to bed, while everyone else had something to eat or gathered in the living room to watch a movie to wind down. The Frenchman turned down all offers for him to join, and Andy had suspected it was due to him still feeling out of place in the team so she left him to his own devices. 

When they had finally conned Booker into eating dinner and watching a movie with them after a mission, he fell asleep on the couch with his head in Nile’s lap and his feet tucked under Joe’s thigh. Nicky and Andy were in the kitchen preparing snacks, and when they walked into the living room Andy huffed in annoyance at the sight of the sleeping man on the couch.

“Can’t he just stay the fuck awake for a few hours? It’s not that hard,” she grumbled as she took her seat in the single chair. Nile looked at her with a confused face, though she masked it as soon as Andy returned her gaze. 

“He did die twice tonight, Boss,” Nicky offered as he sat on the other side of Joe, who immediately wrapped his arm around his lover’s shoulders. 

“So did Nile, and she’s wide awake,” Andy returned, nodding towards the newest immortal who frowned and looked down at the unconscious man in her lap. Thanks to her mother being heavily involved in the mental health programs for the neighbourhood schools and after the death of her father, Nile knew the telltale symptoms of most mental illnesses. 

Constant fatigue was a common sign of depression, and alongside his guilt complex and desire for death, Booker was the poster boy for the illness. 

“He’s just tired, Andy, leave him alone,” Nile said as she looked up. 

“More like lazy,” Andy replied, and Nile felt fire run through her veins. 

“He is _not_ lazy!” Nile hissed, not wanting to disturb the man in her lap. “You know chronic fatigue is a sign of depression, right? Surely you’d know that, you all have medical degrees.” 

Joe hummed and met her eyes. “Booker actually has the most recent qualifications in medicine. Andy hasn’t gotten an education since the Vietnam War, so forgive her if she’s a bit rusty.” 

“Okay fine, but you two? You didn’t pick up on the signs? You’ve had two hundred years to figure it out.” 

The pair looked at each other and Nile could see their thought process happening before her eyes, though she knew they had had no idea of Booker’s internal struggle. Nile picked up on the signs in the week they met before the exile, and it was partially why she fought so hard to make him stay with the group. 

Nile ran a hand through Booker’s hair, brushing it out of his eyes. The other’s may not fully understand the struggles this man has had to internalize for so long, but she was determined to help him.

From now on.

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr: alit0my


End file.
